Manager, Donor Stewardship

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our staff helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our staff of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and internationally from our offices in New York; Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Santa Monica; San Francisco; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Assistant Director, Donor Stewardship, the Manager, Donor Stewardship will assist in supporting a comprehensive recognition and stewardship program designed to enhance and strengthen NRDC’s relationships with its major and principal gift donors.  In conjunction with the Assistant Director and colleagues in Major and Principal Gifts and on the Campaign team, the Manager will help develop and put into place streamlined processes and procedures, and help move forward customized, impactful stewardship plans that ensure our top donors receive regular engagement opportunities and high-level touch point, including compelling reports and cultivation materials, and exclusive access to NRDC leadership through virtual and in-person meetings and events.  The Manager will work alongside the Assistant Director to identify and resolve inefficiencies and implement best practices. 

• Assist with the design and implementation of an integrated donor stewardship and recognition program that includes, but is not limited to, written communications and reporting, creative donor recognition ideas and plans and event and activity access.
• Create and implement systems to anticipate, schedule, track, and evaluate stewardship and recognition activities/projects, as well as assist with establishing policies and procedures to ensure that stewardship plans/activities are delivered on time and within budget.
• Create an annual calendar of stewardship activities and assist in providing regular communications about donor relations and stewardship activities across the Development department.
• Collaborate with colleagues to facilitate the recognition of donors in both print and Web-based publications; contribute donor and gift information for the Annual Report and facilitate mailing to key stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively with Donor Systems to track donor gifts and stewardship preferences.
• Collaborate with Major Gifts, Principal Gifts and the Campaign teams to develop a portfolio of useful stewardship resources for gift officers.
• Draft and proofread correspondence and stewardship reports.
• Perform other job-related duties and special projects as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree and 3+ years direct experience in Donor Relations and Stewardship required
• Knowledge of best practices and programs related to donor relations/stewardship; budget policies and procedures
• Experience compiling, writing, and presenting reports. Excellent research, editing, and proofreading skills
• Ability to generate creative solutions for stewarding donors in order to advance NRDC’s efforts to maintain and strengthen high-quality individual relationships with donors.
• Prepares written communications/correspondence for donors, as needed
• Exceptional interpersonal communication skills and with proven ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with co-workers
• Ability to be tactful, discrete and diplomatic. Able to deal sensitively with confidential information.
• Must be a self-motivated, highly dependable, independent worker with the ability to effectively prioritize work and problem solve without direct supervision
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage complex, multi-phase projects from inception to completion.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize projects to meet aggressive deadlines, and work under pressure with frequent interruptions
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel required, with additional experience in relational databases strongly preferred
• Strong commitment to environmental advocacy preferred
• Shows a sensitivity, awareness and willingness to learn and participate in the advancement of DEI strongly preferred

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming a diversity of voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience. Job grade for this role is Solves 2 with a salary ranging from $60,000 to a $75,000.  Internal equity considerations and the average salary of the peer range will be reviewed before making a final offer.

To apply, please visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your resume and cover letter through our online portal. We would like you to upload any additional papers or project work that you think would showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of resumes, only qualified candidates will be contacted. Please no phone calls, emails, faxes or in-person resume drop-offs. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are having technical difficulty while applying, or if you are a person with a disability and you need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care by dialing 1-800-889-4422.

For further information about NRDC, please visit www.nrdc.org.